By Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, IAEWP

The 18th IAEWP World Congress took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, October 29-31, 2008. It was attended by educators from across e very continent: North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Needless to say, this well organized peace event proved that people from every walk of life and profession, as well as from every culture and religious orientation can live together in perfect harmony and peace.

The current financial crisis, which began in the US, spread to Europe, has become global. Many heads of states and government met to call for the United Nations to lead the process of reform of the international monetary and financial system.

Our collective responsibility is to form global partnership to ensure a sound international monetary system to prevent future recurrence of similar financial crisis and support sustainable development in the developing countries and emerging markets.

The First Cross-Strait High-Level Forum on Chinese Traditional Culture was successfully held in Beijing at the Great Hall of the People from July 5th to 9th, 2007. The aim of this Forum is to facilitate the peaceful reunification of Taiwan with the Mainland China.

In order for IAEWP to be a co-sponsor, Lana Yang, the IAEWP Main Representative to the United Nations made a trip to China in March 2007, to help The World Peace and Development Association, an NGO in China, organize this Forum. This 5-day Forum successfully took place with several international seminars and fund-raising programs.

Why the World Has Changed in the U.N.'s Favor
By Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations

My experience, each morning, may not be unlike yours. We pick up our newspapers or turn on the TV-in New York, Lagos or Jakarta-and peruse a daily digest of human suffering. Lebanon. Darfur. Somalia. Of course, as Secretary General of the United Nations, I at least am in a position to try to do something about these tragedies. And I do, every day.